Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17
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Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Torn down on April 1, 2015. Written By: Andrew Optimus Goldheart This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 1 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 INTRODUCTION The moment we've all been waiting for is finally here. Apple's first foray into wearable electronics has arrived on our teardown table, in all of its high-fashion glory. When our engineers got their hands on the Apple Watch, they were mesmerized. Transfixed, even. Truly swept away by its beauty, grace, and elegance. We're sure you'll have a similar reaction. Read on. As always, be the first to know by keeping up with all of our social media outlets: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. [video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYrpfmRX1GM] TOOLS: Tweezers (1) Spudger (1) Flathead 3/32" or 2.5 mm Screwdriver (1) Nylon Tipped Tweezers (1) This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 2 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 Step 1 — Apple Analog Watch Teardown You know what time it is. (Teardown time). A brief overview of the noteworthy specs and features of the Apple Watch: Tells time in hours, minutes, and seconds Colorful Apple logo Wacky hands that will amuse and confuse your friends Adjustable wrist strap Sporty elastomer band option Sleek chrome and anodized aluminum exterior This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 3 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 Step 2 The Apple Watch fits snugly and securely around your wrist—a convenient location to keep your most important information just an arm gesture away. But at the same time, the Apple Watch manages to remain unobtrusive; it doesn't bother you with unnecessary information or notifications—prioritizing what you need, ready when you need it. We're already starting to get a feel for the level of craftsmanship and care that went into the design of this incredible piece of technology. The anodized aluminum buckle perfectly matches the smooth, chamfered display bezel. Show your friends that you Think Different with the strikingly colorful hands, carefully selected to be as different from each other as they are from conventional watch hands—making reading the time (to the nearest 3 hours) fast and efficient. This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 4 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 Step 3 The digital crown represents a crowning achievement in Apple's engineering portfolio. This single knob fluidly and effortlessly combines the styling of old with the functionality of new, to bring Apple's renowned intuitiveness to your fingertips. Simply pull out on the knob and rotate to adjust the time. Push it in when you're done, and Apple Watch does the rest. Interfacing with technology has never been easier. Flipping the Apple Watch over, we find its fashionable and functional brushed stainless steel rear cover, featuring "Contemporary Design." Apple made an excellent design choice with stainless steel—it is highly corrosion resistant, and a fairly safe alloy for people with nickel allergies, as it keeps the alloyed nickel tightly bound within its structure. This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 5 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 Step 4 The band is held in place with standard 18 mm spring bars, meaning replacing or upgrading your band is a simple task—provided you have the right tool. We found that our angled pro tweezers work great for this—but given that the band itself is half of the fashion accessory that is Apple Watch, we're inclined to recommend a more specialized removal tool for frequent swappers. This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 6 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 Step 5 Into the belly of the beast! A thin flathead screwdriver pops the rear cover off, exposing the world's first view inside an Apple Watch. We're initially impressed by how much free space is left inside—perhaps Apple is future proofing the external case design, to allow for more and better features in the Apple WatchS. A small plastic brace keeps the Taptic Engine and Apple S1 System-in-Package safe and secure inside the watch body. This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 7 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 Step 6 Before we go any further, we'll disconnect and remove the battery, to avoid shorting out and damaging any of the internal circuitry. This is an AG4 alkaline battery cell, with a typical capacity of 12-18 mAh. At 1.5 V, that's around 0.0225 watt hours. Alkaline? What's up with that? Button cell batteries are typically available in alkaline or silver oxide chemistry. Silver oxide batteries are better in every way—recycleable, slower voltage drop during discharge, less leakage, and typically 50% higher capacity. Maybe we caught Apple trying to save a buck? We tried to weigh the battery on our scale—and read 0.0 grams. It's probably completely weightless. This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 8 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 Step 7 The digital crown interfaces with the Apple S1 computer via a long stem, locked in place. Depressing this tiny lever releases the crown and stem for further scrutiny. Step 8 With the crown removed, the display and internals are easy to remove. Thanks to a non-fused display, if you crack your display glass, you'll be able to replace just the glass without buying a new display. The exterior case, a sporty aluminum, is certainly one of the most interesting components of this Apple Watch. This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 9 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 With that, we'll set the internals aside for a moment and see what more we can learn about the ins and outs of the outside of the Apple Watch. Step 9 Combining the best of both worlds, our version of the Apple Watch features a chrome-plated stainless steel body, sandwiched in stylish anodized aluminum rings. While the rear ring is press fit onto the body, and snaps on and off, the front doubles as a retaining ring for the display glass, and is adhered in place. A bit of careful prying is all that's needed to lift it up and off, decorative rivets and all. This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 10 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 Step 10 With the front bezel removed, we're able to safely extract the glass. While the fancier stainless steel and gold variants of Apple Watch come with sapphire crystal, we personally favor this high-tech aluminosilicate Ion-X glass. Compared with sapphire, it's both lighter and more resistant to impact. Throw your hands in the air, Apple Watch don't care! The chamfered edge fits in the body to make a tight seal, giving this watch its IPXX water resistance rating. We'll be holding out for the Apple Watch SCUBA Edition, which is waterproof to 500 meters and can suggest seafood recipes based on nearby wildlife, according to rumors that we personally made up. This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST). © iFixit — CC BY-NC-SA www.iFixit.com Page 11 of 17 Apple Analog Watch Teardown Guide ID: 38659 - Draft: 2015-04-17 Step 11 The display looks amazingly sharp. Even at ultra-close range, we can't see the pixels. In fact it almost looks like an e-ink display. Even without a battery, the watch still displays the image that was on screen when we depowered it. As we begin dismantling the display components, we're pleased to note Apple has revived the uber-Newtonian rainbow logo of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Step 12 Back in your cage! We set the internals back into the body while we're working on them. In classic apple fashion, the best tricks are known only to their repair techs. We tried to operate on the internals on a table, but almost cracked the display. Turns out the case acts as a perfect repair bench, evenly distributing pressure. Look, ma—no jewels! We didn't really expect to find jewel bearings in an Apple Watch anyway. These screws are so tiny, it just makes no cents. This document was generated on 2020-11-14 05:46:51 AM (MST).